Anti-theft locks in many different forms have already been suggested for skis. One type of an anti-theft lock is formed by placing the two skis on top of one another by means of special fittings and to lock same in this position through a lock (see Pat. No. WO81/02679, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,966,219 and 3,928,990 and French Pat. No. 1 512 617). The disadvantage of this type lies in the fittings not only being expensive to purchase, but being hindering at times also during skiing. Furthermore, snow easily settles in the fittings, which snow jeopardizes the function of the built-in lock.
In a similar known embodiment (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,277,676), one fitting each is secured on the two skis, which fittings are connected directly or through a coupling piece and can be secured through a padlock. Since the fittings are manufactured of a relatively thin sheet metal, the possibility of a damage during skiing does exist which, however, makes a moving in of the coupling piece or a direct engagement of the padlock impossible.
According to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,590,608 and 4,185,361 a steel rope or cable is utilized for securing the skis against theft, which steel rope or cable is secured by means of a loop on a fence, a tree or the like and is then placed around the two skis. The rope ends are connected with one another by a cylinder lock or by a padlock.
A modification for this suggestion is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,518,853 and 3,838,585. In this construction, the two skis and the ski poles are held by means of a steel rope, which carries a number lock--such steel ropes are generally common for locking of bicycles--on a storage rack for skis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,416 in turn describes a carrying mechanism for skis, which at one end has an approximately U-shaped bar into which the ends of the skis are placed and which through a cross part can be locked with a cylinder lock, so that a removing of the skis is impossible.
The anti-theft lock according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,720 serves to connect a pair of skis with one another, which are placed on both sides of a horizontal storage rail, by cylinder locks which are provided in the front and the rear area of the skis, thus on both sides of the rail. Each ski has for this purpose two through-going bores for receiving locking elements. These bores extend to the running surface and can therefore easily ice up.
Finally German OS No. 25 11 445 illustrates a solution in which, for the anti-theft lock, the braking blades of a ski brake are utilized. The braking blades are moved into the braking position by means of a plastic part which is adjustable in longitudinal direction of the ski, in which braking position the two braking blades at least partly extend below the running surface of the ski. This position is thereafter secured through a special key. Only the owner of the ski is capable of releasing the plastic part by means of the key and to move it thereafter into the position which permits an upward swinging of the two braking blades. A use of this anti-theft lock is therefore possible only in the case of skis with such braking blades, thus does not have universal applications.
The goal of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the known designs and to provide an anti-theft lock of the abovementioned type, which can be used universally, is simple in its design, is inexpensive to manufacture, and which makes it impossible for a thief to use those skis equipped with the inventive anti-theft lock.
This goal is inventively achieved primarily by the binding either in its stepping-in position or in its closed position being lockable by a lock, a switch or the like.
Furthermore, the invention provides that in the locked position of the binding through a movable, swingable or shiftable part, preferably on the binding, at least one of the fastening members, for example fastening screws, with which the binding is secured on the ski, is mostly covered. Through this cover, the advantage is achieved that a use of stolen skis is not possible not even if a thief should try to replace the locked binding with another one. Also this inventive measure is independent of the type of the fastening of the binding on the ski, since both bindings which are screwed on the ski and also binding parts which are guided on rails and are secured through a stop screw, are protected through this measure.
The following inventive characteristics aim also in this direction, namely that for the fastening screws, which secure the base plate of the binding to the ski, threaded bushings are built into the ski below the upper strip, which bushings are supported on the underside of the upper strip, and that the threaded bushings are connected with one another through webs or through a plate. The binding can be removed from the ski only with force through these characteristics, whereby the ski is simultaneously destroyed.
In order to simplify the manufacture of skis with threaded bushings, it is furthermore provided that the threaded bushings are designed in one piece with the upper strip. If the upper strip is formed by a metal plate, for example an aluminum plate, then the threaded bushings are simply cast at the same time during the manufacture of the plate. If, however, the upper strip is manufactured of a fiber-reinforced laminate, then the threaded bushings are pressed at the same time during the manufacture of the laminate.
A further development of the invention, which is designated for bindings having a sole plate relative to which a slide plate is movably guided, is distinguished by at least one of its fastening members through the slide plate being inaccessible for a release in the locked position of the binding. If for example each fastening member is constructed as a normal slot bolt, then in the case of at least one of the screws, the slot must be covered by the slide plate in the locked position of the binding.
It has proven to be preferable in the case of this design if, according to a different development of the invention, the slide plate is provided with holes which, either in the stepping-in position or in the closed position of the binding, are in alignment with the fastening members, for example with the screws, and if the slide plate in the respective other position, in which its holes are offset with respect to the screws and the like of the ski, is locked through the lock, the switch or the like against movement. This characteristic makes it possible for all fastening members, for example screws, to be locked in the locked position of the binding against a release.
Various possibilities are offered for the construction of the lock itself. Thus the lock can be constructed inventively as a cylinder mortise-like dead lock. This solution has the advantage that the lock during skiing is not provided on the ski, thus can neither ice up nor become dirty. Of course, the skier must carry with him the lock for each ski during skiing.
This disadvantage does not occur, if according to another inventive suggestion, the lock is a cylinder lock, the housing of which is anchored in a bore in the binding or in the ski, and the cylinder of which is axially movable in the housing. If the binding is to be locked, the cylinder engages a bore of a movable part of the binding and is locked in this position. This mechanism is not limited to cylinder locks, but can also be applied to number locks.
A further inventive solution is distinguished by the lock being a cylinder lock, the housing of which is anchored in a bore in the binding or in the ski and the cylinder of which at its end which projects beyond the housing has two lateral flattened areas. Of course, the end of the cylinder which projects from the housing engages a keyhole-like slot in a binding element, in which it can move during skiing, whereas in the locked position of the binding the two lateral flattened areas extend perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal extent of the slot and in this manner stop a movement.
Moreover, the inventive anti-theft lock must not necessarily have a lock in the more narrow sense, but it can also be equipped with elements which carry out the function of a lock. For example, it is possible to rotatably support a conventional bolt in the sole plate of the binding in a cross bore which is arranged parallel with respect to the plane of the plate, the center area of which bolt has two parallel laterally flattened areas and engages in a keyhole-like, through-going bore of a binding part which is guided in longitudinal direction of the ski, whereby the bolt can be turned at 90.degree. by means of a special key. Such a bolt is described in the already discussed German OS No. 25 11 445, however, for a different purpose, namely for locking two braking blades and not the ski binding.
Finally the invention provides, that the bolt is held in each end position by a locking member which is biassed by a spring. In this manner each end position of the bolt is clearly defined even when the bolt, due to a longer use of the ski binding, should be slightly worn in its bearings and should no longer be sufficiently held through the friction in the two bearings.
Further characteristics and details of the invention will be discussed in the following description.